Automatic Storing Device Climatic Chamber for Laboratory Objects

ABSTRACT

A storage device, in particular for a climate controlled cabinet, is described. The storage device serves to store laboratory objects, in particular microtiter plates, in shelf racks ( 4 ). It comprises a pickup device ( 17 ) for automatically picking up and depositing laboratory objects from the or into the shelf racks ( 4 ). The shelf racks ( 4 ) are arranged such that they can receive several laboratory objects behind each other. This increases the storage capacity strongly while only slightly increasing space requirements, such that the costs per laboratory object drop. The pickup device ( 17 ) can pick up several laboratory objects arranged behind each other at the same time and bring them to a temporary storage position. From there a desired laboratory object can be withdrawn by means of a separating device ( 30 ) or an additional laboratory object can be added to the other laboratory objects. Then the pickup device can place back the objects into the shelf rack. This allows, with a simple apparatus, to access each individual laboratory object as desired.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of the German patent application 102005 001 888, which was filed on 14 Jan. 2005 and whose completedisclosure is herewith incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an automatic storage device and aclimate controlled cabinet for receiving laboratory objects, inparticular microtiter-plates.

In modern research large amounts of samples have to be tested,manipulated and stored. The samples are often stored in so-calledmicrotiter-plates, which comprise a plurality of fine receiving recessesfor the samples. Microtiter-plates have, as rule, a standardised sizewith a footprint of approximately 127.76 millimetres×85.48 millimetres(each +/−0.5 millimetres) according to standard ANSI/SBS 1-2004, Jan.,8, 2004, “for microplates—Footprint Dimensions”, and a plurality ofdevices have been provided for storing such plates or similar laboratoryobjects, such as so-called laboratory flasks.

EP 1 332 987 describes a storage device with a storage alley with twoshelf racks arranged along the storage alley and a shelf access devicedisplaceable along the storage alley. The shelf access device comprisesa pickup device that is adjustable in height and extendible, by means ofwhich laboratory objects stored in the shelf racks can be picked up.Such an apparatus is costly in production and operation.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object to improve the cost efficiency of such adevice.

This object is achieved by the storage device of claim 1.

According to the claims the shelf rack or shelf racks are designed suchthat they can receive several laboratory objects behind each other. Bymeans of this, the storage capacity is increased strongly while thespace requirements are increased only slightly, such that the costs perlaboratory object are decreased.

Preferably the pickup device is designed such that it is able tosimultaneously pick up several laboratory objects arranged behind eachother and to bring them into a temporary storage position. From there adesired laboratory object can be extracted by a separating device or anadditional laboratory object can be added to the other laboratoryobjects. Then the pickup device can put the objects back into the shelfrack. This allows, with a simple apparatus, to access each individuallaboratory object as desired. The separating device can, alternativelyor in addition, also be used to remove a cover resting on a laboratoryobject or to place such a cover onto the laboratory object. This is inparticular advantageous when using microtiter-plates with covers.

In an especially simple system the shelf racks comprise storagepositions for receiving several storage objects behind each other. Eachstorage position comprises two supports arranged parallel to each otherand at the same height, for receiving opposite edge regions of thelaboratory objects directly. The pickup device can be inserted into thegap between the supports and lift all laboratory objects in the storageposition simultaneously from below (or deposit them). This solutionobviates the need to provide a drawer or such for the laboratoryobjects.

The invention also relates to a climate controlled cabinet with such astorage device.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further embodiments, advantages and applications of the invention aregiven in the dependent claims and in the now following descriptionreferring to the figures. These show

FIG. 1 a view of a climate controlled cabinet with the storage deviceaccording to the invention,

FIG. 2 a schematic, horizontal sectional view of the climate controlledcabinet of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 an embodiment of the storage device, wherein only four of thestorage racks are shown,

FIG. 4 a detailed view of the pickup device,

FIG. 5 a part of a storage rack,

FIG. 6 a view of a transparently drawn storage rack,

FIG. 7 an enlarged view of a transparently shown storage rack and

FIG. 8 a second embodiment of the pickup device.

WAYS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The climate controlled cabinet of FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a housing 1,in whose interior space a control unit 3 with control and climategenerator and a storage device are arranged. The storage devicecomprises two shelf racks 4, which are arranged on both sides of astorage alley 5. A shelf access device 6 is running in the storage alley5, by means of which all laboratory objects in the shelf racks 4 can beaccessed automatically.

At one end of the climate controlled cabinet, in the extension of thestorage alley 5, a transfer station 7 is arranged. It serves totemporarily receive individual laboratory objects during transferbetween the pickup device 17 of the shelf access device 6 and an outertransport system. The transfer station 7 consists e.g. of a supporttable mounted to a wall 10 a of the climate controlled cabinet forreceiving the storage objects and is arranged at an automatic door 8 inthe wall 10 a of the storage cabinet. The size of the automatic door 8corresponds approximately to the size of the laboratory objects to betransported, such that losses in climate while opening the door 8 canremain small.

The automatic door 8 can also be arranged in the wall 10 c opposite towall 10 a.

At the end of the storage cabinet opposite to the automatic door 8, in asecond wall 10 b parallel to the storage alley 5, a further access door11 is provided. By means of this door, which opens outwardly, the usercan gain access to the climate controlled cabinet. The door leads to aantechamber 13, which is formed between the shelf racks 4 and the thirdwall 10 c opposite to the shelf racks 4. The control unit 3 is arrangedin this antechamber 13.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2 the access door 11 is arranged in the secondwall 10 b. Alternatively or in addition thereto the door can also bearranged in a wall extending transversely to the storage alley 5, i.e.in the first wall 10 a or in the third wall 10 c opposite to first wall10 a, advantageously in the extension of the storage alley 5, as it isshown in dashed lines with reference numbers 11′ and 11″ in FIG. 2. Ifthe access door is arranged in position 11″ in the first wall 10 a, theautomatic door 8 is advantageously arranged in the access door.

The design of the storage device can best be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4. Asmentioned, it has two shelf racks 4 along the storage alley 5. The shelfaccess device 6 comprises a horizontal guide 15 in the shape of ahorizontal profile track, which is arranged parallel to the storagealley 5 in the roof section of the climate controlled cabinet. Avertical guide 16 in the shape of a vertical profile track is guided onthe horizontal guide 15. The vertical guide 16 is arranged on thehorizontal guide 15 and extends downwards from the same. Optionally, afurther horizontal auxiliary guide can be provided at the bottom end ofthe vertical guide 16. A pickup device 17 is mounted to the verticalguide 16.

A horizontal drive 18 mounted to the upper end of the vertical guide 16serves to move the vertical guide 16 along the horizontal guide 15 anddrives a gear, which engages a cograil 19 in the horizontal guide 15. Avertical drive 20 (rear part 23 in FIG. 4 hidden) connected to thepickup device 17 serves to move the pickup device 17 along the verticalguide 16 and drives a gear that engages a cograil 21 in the verticalguide 16.

A vertical column 23 is provided for holding the pickup device 17 and isconnected at its bottom end to a horizontal holding arm 24. An elongatetable 25 is mounted to the end of the holding arm 24 opposite to column23. The table 25 can be pivoted in respect to the holding arm 24 about avertical axis A. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the axis A is approximatelyin the centre of the storage alley. A pivoting drive 27 serves to pivotthe table 25 in respect to the holding arm 24 (and therefore in respectto the vertical guide 16) about the axis A.

An elongate carrier 26 is arranged on the table 25 and displaceablealong the longitudinal axis of the table. An extension drive 28 isprovided on the table 25 for moving the carrier 26. Table 25 and carrier26 form, together, the pickup device 17, which is pivotal about axis Aand extendable along an extension direction X.

Furthermore, a separating device 30 is arranged on the column 23. Theseparating device 30 can be displaced vertically along column 23 bymeans of a first separating drive 31. It comprises a gripper 32 forlaterally gripping the laboratory object. The gripper 32 comprises atleast two, preferably four, fingers 33 a-33 d extending downwards, whichcan be horizontally moved against each other by means of a secondseparating drive 34.

The separating device 30 is arranged, as seen along the storage alley 5,either in front of or behind the pivoting axis A.

The pickup device 17 can be pivoted, by means of the pivotal drive 28,into three positions. In a transfer position, which is shown in FIG. 3,it can be extended parallel to the storage alley 5. In this position theslightly extended carrier 26 is below the separating device 30.Depending on how far the carrier 26 is horizontally extended, each ofthe laboratory objects 40 on the carrier 26 can be brought into theoperating range of the separating device 30. The separating device canbe lowered vertically onto such a laboratory object 40, such that it canlaterally engage the laboratory object 40 with the grippers 32 and liftit. Also it can deposit, in this manner, a laboratory object onto a freespace on the carrier 26.

In the transfer position the pickup device 17 can also transferlaboratory objects and/or covers through the door 8 to the transferstation 7 or pick them up from the same.

Starting from the transfer position the pickup device 17 can, as shownby a double arrow in FIG. 2, be pivoted to the left or to the right, ineach direction by about 90°, into an exchange position, in each of whichit can be extended towards one of the shelf racks 4. FIG. 4 shows thepickup device 17 in the exchange position. In this position the pickupdevice 17 can deposit laboratory objects on the shelf racks 4 or receivethem from the same in the manner described below.

A second embodiment of the pickup device 17 is shown in FIG. 8. Itdiffers from the first embodiment by the fact that the separating device30 is not stationery with respect to the holding arm 24, but stationaryin respect to table 25, i.e. it can be pivoted together with the table25. For this purpose a column 35 with a vertical cograil 35 a isarranged on the table 25. The gear of the vertically displaceable firstseparating drive 31 engages the cograil 35 a. A carrier arm 36 ismounted on the first separating drive 31 and carries the gripper 32. Thegripper 32 is designed in substantially the same manner as the gripperof the first embodiment.

The method of operation of the embodiment of FIG. 8 substantiallycorresponds to the of to FIG. 4, since the gripper 32 can be loweredfrom above onto the carrier 26 for receiving therefrom a laboratoryobject or a cover or for depositing it there. Since the separatingdevice 30 can be pivoted together with the table 25, the embodiment ofFIG. 8 has, however, the advantage that the separating device 30 canaccess the laboratory objects on the carrier 26 in each pivotalposition, which allows a quicker processing of orders.

The design of the shelf racks 4 is best seen in FIG. 3. Each shelf rackcomprises a frame 39 with, in the present embodiment, three shelves 41.The horizontal guide 15 is mounted to the topmost shelf 41 of one of theshelf racks. The two bottommost shelves 41 of each shelf rack 4 receivestorage racks 42, only four of which are shown in FIG. 3. Each storagerack 42 has two vertical lateral walls 43, which are connected to eachother at their top and bottom edges by means of horizontal plates 44.

A part of a storage rack 42 is shown in FIG. 5. As can be seentherefrom, inwards extending ribs are provided on the lateral walls 43at regular intervals, which form supports 45 for the laboratory objects40 to be received. Each laboratory object 40 is inserted into thestorage rack 42 in such a manner that opposite lower edge regions of thelaboratory object are each supported by one support or rib 45. Thus,each storage rack 42 has a vertical row of storage positions 47 definedby the ribs 45. The depth of the storage rack 42 is such that in eachstorage position 47 several laboratory objects find room behind eachother. The width and height of the storage positions 47 is adapted tothe dimensions of the respective laboratory objects to be received.

The storage racks 42 are self-supporting units, and each storage rackcan, with any laboratory object stored therein, be withdrawn as a wholefrom the storage device or climate controlled cabinet.

A gap 46 is provided between the opposite supports or ribs 45, which isbroader than the extendable carrier 26. The bottom side of thelaboratory objects 40 can be freely accessed in the region of this gap46. To pick up the laboratory objects, the pickup device or the carrier26 can be extended into the gap 46.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a specific embodiment of a storage rack 42. FIG. 6 inparticular shows three laboratory objects 40 or microtiter-platesarranged behind each other, which rest on three storage locations behindeach other on the supports or ribs 45. In order to hold laboratoryobjects 40 in longitudinal direction of the storage position 47 indefined manner and to prevent them from shifting, each storage locationcomprises holding means 50, by means of which the respective laboratoryobject can be held in longitudinal direction of the storage position 47.The holding means 50 are formed, in the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, byprojections, which extend upwards from the supports 45. The projectionsare upwardly bent tongues of the sheet metal support 45.

The function of the described device is as follows:

In order to withdraw a given laboratory object from a known position inthe shelf racks 4 of the storage device, the pickup device 17 is pivotedinto the exchange position and horizontally and vertically displaced insuch a manner that it is located in front of the storage position 47 ofthe given laboratory object, namely such that the upper side of thecarrier 26 is somewhat lower than the bottom side of the laboratoryobject. Then, the carrier 26 is extended into the shelf rack 4 andlifted, by means of the vertical drive 20, until it enters the gap 46and lifts all of the laboratory objects arranged behind each other onthe ribs 45 of the respective storage position 47. Now the carrier 26 isagain retracted and the pickup device 17 is pivoted into the transferposition. In this intermediate storage position the carrier 26 isextended so far that the laboratory object 40 to be withdrawn comes tolie exactly below the separating device 30. Now the separating device 30is lowered, engages the laboratory object 40 and lifts the same. Afterhaving removed the desired laboratory object 40 in this manner from thepickup device 17, the pickup device 17 is pivoted back to the exchangeposition, extended into the shelf rack and lowered somewhat, such thatthe remaining laboratory objects are again deposited in their storageposition 47. The now empty carrier 26 is retracted, pivoted into thetransfer position and extended so far that its end region lies below theseparating device 30. The separating device is again lowered andreleases the previously withdrawn laboratory object 40 onto the carrier26. Now the pickup device 17 can be driven to the door 8. The door 8 isopened and the carrier 26 is extended and lowered such that it depositsthe laboratory object in the transfer position 7.

To deposit an individual laboratory object 40 at a given position in theshelf racks 4, the reverse process is used. The pickup device 17 drivesto the door 8, the carrier 26 is extended and lifts the laboratoryobject 40 furnished at the transfer position 7. The carrier 26 isretracted. The laboratory object 40 is brought into the region of accessof the separating device 30, which removes it from carrier 26. Thepickup device 17 is driven to the desired storage position 47 andpivoted to the exchange position. The carrier 26 extends, lifts thelaboratory objects already present in the storage position 47, retractsand pivots to the transfer position. It is extended horizontally so farthat a free space of the table comes to rest below the separating device30, whereupon the separating device 30 deposits the new laboratoryobject there. Then all laboratory objects on the carrier 26 are placedback into the shelf rack, for which purpose the carrier 26 pivots backinto the exchange position, extends, is lowered, and deposits thelaboratory objects 40 on the supports or ribs 45. Then the carrier 26 isagain retracted.

In order to reach a higher transfer capacity, it is also possible tohandle several laboratory objects 40 at the same time on table 25. Forexample the carrier 26 can withdraw three laboratory objects behind eachother from a shelf rack position and bring them, together, to thetransfer position 7, where the laboratory objects are taken over orhandled together. In opposite manner several storage objects can bebrought from the transfer position 7 in a single working step, together,to a storage position and deposited there behind each other.

It is further possible, that the separating device 30 is able totemporarily store several laboratory objects at the same time. Forexample, it can pick up several laboratory objects, which are thenreceived by the transfer position 7. For this purpose the transferposition must be provided by means for directly receiving the laboratoryobjects from the separating device 30.

The device shown here can be adapted in various manner to the respectiverequirements.

For example, a single shelf rack arranged along the storage alley 5 canbe used instead of two shelf racks 4.

If different types of laboratory objects are to be stored, differentstorage racks with correspondingly sized storage positions can beprovided.

While preferred embodiments of the invention are described in thepresent application, it is to be distinctly pointed out that theinvention is not limited thereto and can also be carried out indifferent manner within the scope of the following claims.

1. Automatic storage device for laboratory objects, in particularmicrotiter plates, with at least one shelf rack arranged along a storagealleys for receiving the laboratory objects above and beside each otherand a shelf access device, which can be displaced along the storagealley and which comprises a pickup device adjustable in height andextendable for receiving and depositing laboratory objects from the orinto the shelf rack, wherein the shelf rack is designed for receivingseveral storage objects behind each other.
 3. Storage device of claim 2wherein the separating device is displaceable vertically in respect tothe temporary storage position.
 4. Storage device of claim 3 wherein theseparating device comprises a gripper, which can be lowered onto thetemporary storage position and by means of which a laboratory object canbe engaged laterally.
 5. Storage device of claim 4 wherein the grippercomprises at least two fingers, which can be moved substantiallyhorizontally in respect to each other for laterally engaging thelaboratory object and/or a cover resting on the laboratory object. 6.Storage device of any claim 2, wherein it is designed to withdraw anindividual laboratory object from the shelf racks by picking up severallaboratory objects arranged behind each other by means of the pickupdevice, extracting a selected laboratory object from the pickup deviceby means of the separating device, putting back the remaining laboratoryobjects by means of the pickup device into the shelf racks, and movingthe selected laboratory object from the separating device onto thepickup device.
 7. Storage device of any of claim 2, wherein it isdesigned to deposit an individual laboratory object from the pickupdevice into the shelf racks by removing the individual laboratory objectfrom the pickup device by means of the separating device, withdrawingseveral laboratory objects arranged behind each other from the shelfracks by means of the pickup device, moving the individual laboratoryobject from the separating device to the remaining laboratory objects onthe pickup device, and moving all laboratory objects from the pickupdevice into the shelf racks.
 8. Storage device of claim 2 wherein eachlaboratory object picked up by the pickup device can be brought into anoperating range of the separating device by horizontal displacement ofthe pickup device.
 9. Storage device of claim 1, wherein the pickupdevice is pivotal about a vertical axis between at least one exchangeposition and at least one transfer position, wherein the pickup deviceis extendable in the exchange position towards the at least one shelfrack and in the transfer position parallel to the storage alley. 10.Storage device of claim 4, wherein the pickup device is pivotal about avertical axis between at least one exchange position and at least onetransfer position, wherein the pickup device is extendable in theexchange position towards the at least one shelf rack and in thetransfer position parallel to the storage alley, and wherein thelaboratory objects on the pickup device can be brought into an operatingrange of the separating device when the pickup device is in the transferposition.
 11. Storage device of claim 1 with a horizontal guide avertical guide guided on the horizontal guide, wherein the pickup deviceis guided on the vertical guide, a longitudinal drive for displacing thevertical guide along the horizontal guide and a vertical drive fordisplacing the pickup device along the vertical guide.
 12. Storagedevice of claim 11 with a pivotal drive for pivoting the pickup devicein respect to the vertical guide.
 13. Storage device of claim 11 whereinthe vertical guide extends downwards from the horizontal guide. 14.Storage device of claim 11, wherein the pickup device is designed tosimultaneously pick up several laboratory objects arranged behind eachother and to bring them into a temporary storage position, and whereinthe shelf access device comprises a separating device for withdrawing alaboratory object from the temporary storage position and/or insertingit into the temporary storage position, and wherein the separatingdevice is pivotal together with the pickup device.
 15. Storage device ofclaim 1 wherein the shelf racks comprise storage positions for receivingseveral laboratory objects behind each other, wherein each storageposition comprises two supports extending parallel to each other and atthe same height, onto which opposite edge regions of the laboratoryobjects in the storage position can be placed directly, and wherein thepickup device can be inserted into a gap between the supports fordirectly engaging all laboratory objects of the storage position frombelow.
 16. Storage device of claim 15, wherein the pickup devicecomprises an extendable carrier, whose width is smaller than thedistance between the supports of the storage position.
 17. Storagedevice of claim 1, wherein the shelf racks comprise storage positionswith several storage locations behind each other, wherein each storagelocation is designed for receiving one laboratory object, and holdermeans, by means of which the respective storage object can be held in alongitudinal direction of the storage position.
 18. Storage device ofclaim 17 wherein the projections are formed by upwards bent parts of thesupports.
 19. Storage device of claim 1, wherein at one end of thestorage alley a transfer station is arranged for temporarily receivingindividual laboratory objects during a transfer between the pickupdevice and an external transport system.
 20. Storage device of claim 1,wherein shelf racks are arranged on both sides of the storage alley. 21.Storage device of claim 1, wherein the shelf racks are formed by storageracks, wherein each storage rack comprises several storage positionsarranged above each other, wherein each storage position offers room forseveral laboratory objects behind each other, and wherein each storagerack can be withdrawn, with the laboratory objects arranged therein, asa whole from the storage device.
 22. Storage device of claim 21, whereineach storage rack comprises exactly one vertical row of the storagepositions.
 23. Climate controlled cabinet with a storage device ofclaim
 1. 24. Climate controlled cabinet of claim 23, wherein the cabinetcomprises a first door for an automatic transfer of laboratory objectsas well as a second door for users.
 25. Climate controlled cabinet ofclaim 24, wherein the first door is arranged in a first wall at the endof the storage alley and the second door is arranged in a second wallparallel to the storage alley at an end of the second wall opposite tothe first wall.
 26. Climate controlled cabinet of claim 24, wherein thesecond door is arranged in a wall extending transversally to the storagealley.
 27. Climate controlled cabinet of claim 26, wherein the firstdoor is arranged in the second door.
 28. Climate controlled cabinet ofclaim 25, wherein the second door can be opened inwards.
 29. The storagedevice of claim 17 wherein each storage position comprises two supportsextending parallel to each other at the same height, onto which oppositeedge regions of the laboratory objects in the storage position can berested, and wherein the holder means are formed by projections, whichextend upwards from the supports.